I am really hoping that I can get some guidance on a frustrating technique issue I have that results in me wasting good waves! I have real trouble getting the board off a top turn and back down the line after coming to the top, often resulting in either coming off the back, or having to apply an ugly amount of late front foot pressure to back down the face, slowing me down in the process and nearly always getting stuck behind the next section.

I am lucky enough to have the use of a GoPro so have cut together a few examples and posted it on You Suck, any constructive criticism will be really welcomed!!

Hi at the start of the vid 0:04 secs, your foot positioning is wayyyy off centre. So your weight distribution is going to be off also, try and focus on getting your feet planted in the correct position. I'm no expert however, i find having my back foot right over the fins literally on the kicker of the tail pad, then my front foot just back from the centre of the board really works for me (shortboarding)

A few pointers you could consider:

- Fin setup- Feet positioning- Turn with the upper body, not your legs.... - Watch lots of vids in slow mo to visualise what you should be doing- Video analysis is great also

What board are you on by the way?

Having a big boaty board isn't going to help for big fins out parko top turns either.

Thanks mate. Yeah foot positioning was really bad on that one. I've actually moved to a smaller, wider board and slowed down the take off which has helped with that a lot. I am on a 5 10 dumpster type model at the moment which seems to work with getting in earlier waves and getting up some speed, but I think I need to move the back foot further back as you suggest. Loads to try there, i'll take one at a time and see how i get on!

Cheers for your help

M

PS. Those vids are really helpful, have watched the 100% surfing techniques loads, just difficult to see I am specifically doing wrong as everything happens so quick when you are out there and stoked!

Best tip I ever had when learning was that slightly lifting your front foot off the board (and your board rises to your foot) when your on your way to the top of the wave.Then plant your front foot down and can slide your tail out as much as you want with the weight now on your front foot.

You of course need to have your body position/knees/head in the right place too but once you get it, you get it.

philo wrote:Best tip I ever had when learning was that slightly lifting your front foot off the board (and your board rises to your foot) when your on your way to the top of the wave.Then plant your front foot down and can slide your tail out as much as you want with the weight now on your front foot.

You of course need to have your body position/knees/head in the right place too but once you get it, you get it.

Wicked, I'll try that, cheers. Had a nice session yesterday and improved a little by swinging my hips into it and really putting weight on my back heal. Ended up just doing a massive accidental cut back well back into the white stuff haha.

The thing that really helped me was watching pro's surfing similar boards to what you are riding. See how they turn their body, see what they do with their head etc...but remember they are surfing very powerful, performance waves which helps massively!

Definitely agree with insideout , really drive with your hips through your top turn and lead through with your lead arm (your right arm). thats where your power comes from. I was also taught to look and point where to go so over exaggerate your head and shoulder movement.

Looking at your video, it seems like your bottom turn is slightly too quick, forcing you to try and top turn on the shoulder (no power) rather than in the pocket (power source). Also you push off a weaker part of the wave thus having less speed (which is essential) heading into your top turn. Try and delay your bottom turn so you get right to the bottom of the wave and you push off into the pocket, having enough speed to keep yourself in the wave.

I won't ramble on any longer and will take off my coaching cap lol. Hope this helps and haven't confused you haha

The vids on surfcoach.com are quite helpful and there are ones specifically about the top turns, snaps etc - there's a good selection of them on vimeo if you don't want to buy an online subscription (which gets you access to Martin talking you through the techniques in more detail). On balance, you probably get more value out of a video than a book. I prefer surfcoach to 100% techniques, more detailed treatment of the moves and broken down into sequences and trigger words: but more expensive.

Like previously said watch your foot positioning. If you could get some footage from the shore it would be easier to see the problem. Remember to use your whole body through the turn, especially with turning your shoulders

bottom turns mate, didn't see any in here, if you don't do a bottom turn you won't really have the power to go through any kind of top turn. It's taken me ages to really get my head round it, as my own gopro vids are testimony to! A bottom turn is going to give you the time to wiggle your foot a bit if it is in the wrong place, will give you speed which you can build further as you flex the fins out of the bottom part of the arc (even if it is just a little one) and will allow you to sight where the lip is running off to and a spot you want to come off the top from. Once you can turn tight enough to put your top turn in the lip, that lip will impart more speed and power into your flow as you go into your next turn. that's the theory though as I understand it!

Working on the basics like solid foot positioning, bottom turns and putting your shoulder where you want the board and your body to go are really important, more important than any fins free manoeuvres off the top.

I'm not gonna claim I'm a good surfer, eager intermediate at best I reckon but all the best advice I have ever had has focussed on basics and practise

philo wrote:Best tip I ever had when learning was that slightly lifting your front foot off the board (and your board rises to your foot) when your on your way to the top of the wave.Then plant your front foot down and can slide your tail out as much as you want with the weight now on your front foot.

You of course need to have your body position/knees/head in the right place too but once you get it, you get it.

This is a great little tip. Tried it today in some fairly average and weak waves and it added a certain pop to my top turns that was lacking before, on a 4 fin you really get to slide around!